Safety ski binding



March 29, 1955 Filed Oct. 10, 1950 W. H. HANSEN SAFETY SKI BINDING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F/G. Z 44 43 4/ v 46 34 42 4/0 33 34a 32 45 36 I I 300 g 370 37 L30 Zinvemor:

WALTER H. HANSEN,

United States Patent Ofi 2,705,150 Patented Mar. 29, 1955 ice This invention relates to ski bindings as customarily employed to attach skis to the feet of a skier.

The sport of skiing requires that the skis be attached as tightly as possible if full advantage of the various maneuvers possible in the sport is to be had. For example, in the execution of high speed turns in so-called slalom racing, the ski must faithfully respond to the various and often abrupt movements of the skiers body, almost as if they were a part of it. On the other hand, if the skier is to be reasonably safe from bodily injury, the skis should be readily separable from the feet when excessive and abnormal strains occur. For example, should a skier fall while executing a high speed turn, there is great danger of twisting and breaking a leg, and of even causing a more serious injury, if the skis are so securely attached to the feet that separation is next to impossible.

Heretofore, there has been no ski binding which offers tight securement, yet ready separability under abnormal conditions. As a consequence, many broken bones are suffered by daring amateurs, and also by experts.

A principal object of the present invention is to effect a tight and positive securement of the skiers boots to his skis, so that they are inseparable during all normal maneuvers, yet substantially instantaneously separable under abnormal stresses and strains incident to such falls as are likely to result in bodily injury.

Another object is to attain substantially complete rigidity of ski boot with ski, so that for all practical purposes they function as an integral unit, substantially without give.

While this latter object of the invention is not necessarily coupled with the first, and is actually frowned upon by some expert skiers, I have found it to be a source of considerably greater satisfaction in the sport, in that high speed turns are easier to execute, and all downhill skiing can be carried out with greater facility.

Attainment of these objects of the invention, and of greatly improved results over existing types of ski binding, are due largely to the elimination of all straps, cables, or

a comparatively compact and simple latch mechanism operative upon a special keeper permanently afiixed to the heel of the ski boot, and, in combination therewith, a reaction member rigidly afiixed to the ski as part of a toe-retaining structure. The latch mechanism serves as a movable clamping jaw, while the reaction member serves as a stationary clamping jaw.

The latching mechanism embodies a resilient member whose tension is advantageously readily adjustable, for varying the degree of latching security in accordance with any given skiing condition or desire of the user.

The safety ski binding of the invention necessitates only the insertion of the foot shod with an appropriately prepared ski boot-between the spaced toe-retaining assembly and latching mechanism, for effecting the desired rigid attachment of a ski to a foot of the skier. ward pressure upon the heel of the ski boot, by the wearers heel, clicks the assembly into its latched position. Either a manual pulling of the latch backwardly against the tension of the resilient member, which tension may be appropriately reduced for the purpose, or a sidewise twist of or upward pull on the heel of the foot to an abnormal extent and with abnormal force, instantaneously frees the ski boot from its attachment to the ski. Accordingly, the improved binding of the invention is uniquely quick and easy to use.

similar nature, in favor of Since only a very forcible sidewise or upward movement of the heel of the foot relative to the ski will release the skiers boot from its rigid attachment to the ski when when the resilient member is under proper operating tension, a force not generally possible during normal skiing where the ski is free to follow the movement of the body of the skier, a safety condition is achieved which is completely absent in all ski bindings of known construction.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of one preferred form of ski binding conforming to the invention, the binding wardly into latched attachment to the Fig. 2, a view corresponding to that of Fig. L'but illustiating the booted foot of the skier securely latched to the s '1;

Fig. 3, a top plan view of the binding and ski o'f the above figures, with the skiers foot and boot removed;

ig. 4, a rear elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 5, a view corresponding to that of Fig. 2, but showbroken out for convenience of illustration;

Fig. 6, a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7, a view corresponding to that of Fig. 2, but of another embodiment of the invention constructed to afford limited flexibility, or give, between skiboot and ski during all phases of the sport;

Fig. 8, a view corresponding to that of Fig. 3, but of the embodiment of Fig. 7;

ig. 9, a rear elevation of the embodiment of Figs. 7 and 8, as illustrated in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10, a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 1010 of Figs. 8 and 9, but showing a ski boot latched to the ski; and

Fig. 11, a view corresponding to that of Fig. 10, but illustrating the latch mechanism in its unlatched position.

Referring now to the drawings:

portions 10a, respectively. A projects rearwardly from the upstanding central portion of such toe-retaining structure, in fixed relationship therewith and in a position to be received by an appropriately correlated part of the toe of a ski boot 13, for example, by an opening 14, Fig. 5, formed in a rigid strip 15 fixedly attached about the toe portion of the sole 13a of ski boot 13, as by means of screws 16.

The toe-retaining structure 10 serves as a reaction member, and, in effect, forms a stationary clamping jaw when considered in combination with a movable clamping jaw made up of latching mechanism about to be described.

The movable clamping jaw, in this instance, includes a base plate 17, which may or may not be raised, as is here shown by a block 17-1, depending upon the whim of the individual skier. Upon such base plate 17 is journaled a latching element 18, provided with a pair of mutually spaced and laterally disposed latching wings 18a, see Fig.

The base plate 17 has a rib 17a extending transversely across the upper surface thereof, which receives and journals, at its ends, respective pivot pin members 1811, Figs. 4 and 5, of the latching element 18.

Rising from securement, as by welding,

to the ridge line of the rib 17a is a sta'ndardl9, Figs. 3

and 5. Extendthreaded onto its free end. interposed between such knob 21 and the latch element 18, in encircling relationship with the shank 20, is a coil compression spring 22, which urges the latch element 18 forwardly relative to the knob 21. By screwing the knob 21 forwardly or backwardly on the shank 20, forward tension of latch element 18 is adjusted to a greater or to a less degree, respectively.

The base plate 17 is rigidly fastened to the upper surface of the ski 11 at a location spaced rearwardly from the toe-retaining structure and adjacent the rearward on of the afore-mentioned foot-receiving portion of the ski, as by means of screws 23, Fig. 3.

The respective wing portions 18a of the latch element 18 are beveled forwardly and downwardly on top, as at l8-l, and are forwardly recessed below to provide overhanging lips for receiving respective keepers 24a, which project rearwardly from a keeper plate 24 carried by the ski boot 13.

Keeper plate 24 is preferably a U-shaped rigid element of some non-rustable metal, such as aluminum, brass, or the like, having the keepers 24a struck downwardly from its upper margin. It is securely attached about the heel of the ski boot 13, as by means of screws 25. Because of the forwardly directed bevels 18-1 at the tops of the respective latch Wings 180, the keepers 24a can easily react upon and slide downwardly past the overhanging lips of the wing portions 18a of latch element 18, pushing such latch element backwardly against the face of the spring 22 and catching under such overhanging lips when the wing portions 18a have clicked forwardly to latching position at the limit of the downward movement of the ski boot heel. Thus, such overhanging lips provide for latchifng against upwardly directed forces exerted by a skiers oot.

The wing portions 18a of the latch element 18 have forwardly directed walls 182 at their outer sides, prodlO viding for latching the keepers 24a against sidewardly directed forces exerted by a skiers foot.

Both the overhanging lip or upper latching member of each latching wing 18a, and the side wall or side latching member 18-2 thereof, have their latching surfaces sloping outwardly of the latching recess, while each keeper member 24:: has its respective latching surfaces correspondingly sloped, so as to permit unlatching of the received and latched keeper member 24a by the exertion of appropriately directed force by the skiers heel.

Thus, the undersurface 26 of the overhanging lip or upper latching member is sloped upwardly and forwardly in the manner illustrated in Fig. 5, while the inner surface, 27 of the side wall or side latching member 18-2 is sloped outwardly in the manner illustrated in Fig. 6. The respectively corresponding latching surface 28, Fig. 5,

and 29, Fig. 6, are correspondingly sloped, as illustrated,

for face-toface mating engagement therewith during the latched condition of the ski binding.

1 have found that best results are generally obtained when the slope of the side inner surface is approximately forty five degrees from either the longitudinal or transverse axis of the ski, and the slope of the lips undersurface 26 is considerably less, for example, twenty degrees (20). It should require much more stress for release of the foot upwardly and forwardly than for release sidewardly.

The rearward edges of the keepers 24a and the rearward surface of the keeper plate 24 are preferably curved along an are having its center at approximately the point of securement of the toe, at 241, Fig. 6, to prevent restrictive binding of the heel as it is released sidewardly.

In this embodiment, a corrugated heel plate 17-2 is separably secured to the foot-receiving portion of the ski 11 somewhat in advance of the latching mechanism, so as to provide, together with the forward portion of the raised base plate 17, a support for the heel of the ski boot. The corrugations of this heel plate 17-2, and the space between it and base plate 17, accommodate any snow which may be caked on the heel of the ski boot. In many instances, however, base plate 17 will be lower than shown, to suit individual tastes, and it and heel plate 17--2 may even be perfectly flat where no elevating of the heel is desired.

A skier attaches his foot to the ski 11 by first inserting his ski boot between the spaced toe-retaining structure and latching mechanism, so that the spike 10b enters the receiving opening 14 at the toe of the boot, see Fig. l.

With his foot thus aligned, the skier need merely press down on his heel to latch the heel of the ski boot securely in the attached position of Fig. 2. It should be noted that the keepers 24a push latch element 18 backwardly against the tension of spring 22 during the downward movement of the heel of the ski boot, and that, when such keepers pass below the forwardly-directed lips of the wing portions 18a, such latch element 18 springs forwardly under the urging of spring 22 to latch over the upper and sideward latching edges of the keepers 24a.

The skiers foot is held securely to the ski by this latching arrangement during all normal skiing maneuvers, but upon the occurrence of abnormal side-wise or upward and forward stresses due to a fall, the skiers foot will be immediately released from the ski without injury.

Normal removal of the skiers foot from the ski, for example at the completion of a period of skiing, is best effected by reaching down and twisting the knob 21 to release tension of the spring 22, and by then pulling backwardly on the latch member 18 against the urge of spring 22, thereby releasing the ski boot so it may be lifted from the ski. Releasing the grasp on the latch member 18, it should be noted, will result in its automatic return to the position of Fig. 1, where, upon turning the knob 21 back to its initial position, the ski binding is riady to again receive and secure a ski boot as explained a ove.

The degree of tension of spring 22, and, thus, the point of release of the binding under abnormal circumstances, may be adjusted to suit individual skiing conditions by merely screwing the knob 21 backwardly and forwardly, more or less, on its threaded shank 20.

The embodiment of Figs. 7 to 11 is indicative of the variant structural forms which my invention may be given. In this instance, provision is made for limited give of the binding upwardly, a condition most desired during ordinary running or climbing on skis.

As illustrated, the toe-retaining structure comprises a toe plate 30 fastened to the ski 31 by any suitable means, for example the screws illustrated. The forward end of the toe plate is bent upwardly at an angle to provide an upstanding member 3012, through which is threaded a toeretaining screw 32. Such screw 32 is adapted to be received by a suitable opening in a toe-piece 33, secured to the toe tip of the sole of the ski boot 34 and corresponding in function with the toe strip 15 of the previously described embodiment.

The latching mechanism here comprises a U-shaped rocker 36 having its mid-portion journaled by an upstanding rib 37a of an otherwise fiat heel plate 37. The heel plate 37 is fastened to the ski 31 in any suitable manner, for example, by means of the screws illustrated.

Raising from rigid securement to and along the upper surface of the rib 37a is a rigid standard 38, Fig. 10, which provides anchorage for one end of a tension spring 39 through the intermediacy of a connection fitting 40. Slideably received by the upstanding legs of the U-shaped rocker 36 are oppositely disposed slideway members 4141 of a latch element 41. Such latch element 41 is of inverted, elongate, general channel formation, advantageously tapered toward the rear, so as to accommodate the length of compression spring 39 and provide anchorage for the other end thereof, as by means of an adjustably positioned connection fitting 42. The spring 39 thus serves to constantly urge the latch element 41 into its latched position of Figs. 7 to 10.

Coil compression springs 43 are mounted on the upper ends of the respective legs of the U-shaped rocker 36, so as to be disposed between the upper ends of slideway members 41a and respective nuts 44. Such nuts 44 are screwed onto the threaded upper ends of the leg members of rocker 36 as adjustable abutments means for the springs. Accordingly, the latch element 41 is constantly urged downwardly to the limit of its downward travel, as established by respective pins 45, projecting from the respective legs of rocker 36 as limit stop members, but is free to move upwardly against the tension of springs 43.

Keepers 46a of a keeper plate 46, which corresponds generally to the keeper plate 24 of the prior embodiment, but which, in this instance, is secured to the boot 34 immediately above the heel 34a thereof, coact with the sloping undersurface 47 of the overhanging lip formation of latch element 41 in substantially the same manner as in the prior embodiment, and, likewise, coact with sloping latching surfaces 48a of sidewardly disposed latching lugs 48. Such lugs are attached to or formed at the inside of latch element 41 in any suitable manner, for example, by welding.

It should be noted, however, that, because of the freedom of travel of the latch element 41 against the downward urge of springs 43, limited give between ski boot and ski is provided, without release of the ski boot from the ski. Because of such give it is advisable to make the latching surfaces of the keepers 46a of greater extent than in the prior embodiment.

In this instance the rearward surfaces of the keepers 46a and of that portion of keeper plate 46 lying therebetween are beveled downwardly and forwardly for the purpose of pushing latch element backwardly when the heel of the ski boot is pushed down into latching position. In this respect, the construction is opposite that of the first embodiment. Nevertheless, it is obvious that either construction may be utilized in either of the embodiments, depending upon the particular manner in which it may be desired to fabricate each embodiment.

Whereas this invention is here illustrated and described with respect to a particular preferred embodiment thereof, it should be understood that various changes, apart from the mere substitution of equivalents, may be made therein and various other constructions may be adopted on by those skilled in the concepts displose mm:

1. In a ski binding, heel latching mechanism adapted for securement to a ski at the heel end of the boot-receiving area thereof, said mechanism comprising a latch element having a width approximating the width of the heel of a ski boot and disposed outside the said boot-receiving area when the mechanism is secured to a ski; means for securing said latch element to a ski; resilient means for constantly urging said latch element forwardly with respect to the ski; a keeper for attachment to the heel of a ski boot, said keeper having an effective width such as will be snugly received by said latch element; and coactive latching surfaces associated with the said latch element and with the said keeper, respectively, said 3. In a ski binding, heel latching mechanism adapted element forwardly; and means for pivotally securing said latch element to a ski transversely of the skis length.

4. In a ski binding, heel latching mechanism adapted boot-reconstantly urging said means for pivotally securing said latch element to a ski transversely of the skis length In a ski binding having rigid toe-retaining structure adapted to be secured to a ski, heel latching mechanism adapted to be secured to the ski in spaced longitudinal alignment rearwardly of said toe-retaining structure, said heel latching mechanism comprising, a base plate adapted for securement to the upper surface of the ski; a latch element to said base plate transrising from said upper surface of the ski, said latch element having a pair of laterally disposed latching members recessed forwardly to provide respective forwardly directed overhanging lips and outer side walls having upwardly sloping undersurfaces and outwardly sloping inner surfaces, respectively; a

surfaces for face-to-face latching coaction with the said corresponding surfaces of said latching members, for said heel under predetermined stress; spring means for constantly urging said latch element forwardly and adjustable means for latch element forwardly; and.

upper surface of the ski forwardly of the main base plate.

9. In a ski binding having heel and toe retaining means mutually spaced apart to receive and secure a ski boot, a heel base plate assembly adjacent the said heel-retaining means and comprising an elevated, rear base plate member associated with said heel-retaining means, and a transversely corrugated base plate member spaced forwardly from said rear base plate member, so that the latter base member seats the rearward portion of a ski boot heel and the former member seats the forward portion of said heel, leaving an intervening open space comprehending a major portion of the length of said heel intermediate the said rearward and forward portions thereof.

10. In a ski binding, boot latching mechanism adapted for securement to a ski at one end of the boot-receiving area thereof, said mechanism comprising a latch element having a width approximating the width of a ski boot and disposed outside the said boot-receiving area when the mechanism is secured to a ski; means for securing said latch element to a ski; resilient means for constantly urging said latch element toward the boot-receiving portion of the ski; a keeper for attachment to said one end of a ski boot, said keeper having an effective width such as will be snugly received by said latch element; and coactive latching surfaces associated with the said latch element and with the said keeper, respectively, said latching surfaces comprising transversely spaced sets of outwardly and boot directed and upwardly and boot directed surfaces for effecting release of said boot under predetermined stress.

11. Latch mechanism for use in a ski binding and adapted for securement to a ski at one end of the bootreceiving area thereof, said mechanism comprising a latch element having a width approximating the width of a ski boot and disposed outside the said boot-receiving area when the mechanism is secured to a ski; means for securing said latch element to a ski; resilient means for constantly urging said latch element toward the boot-receiving portion of the ski; and latching surfaces associated with the said latch element, said latching surfaces comprising transversely spaced sets of outwardly and boot directed and upwardly and boot di' rected surfaces for effecting release of said boot under predetermined stress.

12. In a ski binding, boot latching mechanism adapted for securement to a ski at one end of the boot-receiving area thereof, said mechanism comprising a latch element having a width approximating the width of a ski boot and disposed outside the said boot-receiving area when the mechanism is secured to a ski; means for pivot ally securing said latch element to a ski on a hinge axis extending transversely of the ski; resilient means for constantly urging said latch receiving portion of the ski; ment to said one end of a element toward the bootand a keeper for attachski boot, said keeper having an elfective width such as will be snugly received by said latch element, an

ing surfaces which coact in the latching of said tightly to the ski and determined stress, said su active surfaces at opposite ment and of said keeper, respectively,

d said latch element and said keeper havboot in releasing said boot under prerfaces comprising sets of lateral sides of said latch eledirected outwardly and toward the boot for effecting sidewise release of said boot under stress, and transversely surfaces above the first-name taining said boot l3. Latch mechanism for use in a ski adapted for securement to a s tightly against the ski.

element having a width approximating the width ski boot and disposed outside the said boot-receiving area when the mechanism is sec extending, coactive d surfaces for normally rebinding and ki at one end of the bootreceiving area thereof, said mechanism comprising a latch ofa ured to a ski; means for pivotally securing said latch element to a ski on a hinge axis extending transversely of the ski; constantly urging ceiving portion 0 ciated with the sai comprising outwardly an posite lateral sides of said latch elem Wise release of said boot under predetermined transversely extending surfaces above the first-named surfaces and projecting toward retaining the boot'tightly against 14. The combination set'fort a standard rises rigidly fro means at the boot-receivin as a reaction member for the resilien in said resilient means is the ski.

latch element toward said standard and the boot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS the boot for normally h in claim 13, wherein m the latch element securement g side of said latch element t means, and wheredisposed to normally urge said 

